How carrot cake met coffee cake (and changed my mornings forever)
We’ve all had carrot cake. And most of us have probably had coffee cake. But a few weeks ago, the craving for both hit at the exact same time. My thought? “Why not combine the two?!”
Y’all, you will NOT be disappointed. This carrot coffee cake is light and fluffy with warm spices, shredded carrots, and coconut folded right into a tender, bread-like batter. Then it gets a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping AND a cream cheese drizzle. Literally the best of both worlds.
It’s perfect with a cup of coffee on a slow morning, something sweet for Easter brunch or Mother’s Day breakfast, or even a weeknight dessert when the craving hits. If you love this, try my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins and Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins for more easy baking recipes.
What is carrot coffee cake?
Carrot coffee cake is exactly what it sounds like: a tender, spiced coffee cake loaded with freshly grated carrots and shredded coconut, topped with a buttery brown sugar crumb topping, and finished with a cream cheese glaze. It’s a cross between a classic carrot cake and an old-fashioned coffee cake.
A traditional coffee cake doesn’t actually contain coffee (a question that comes up a LOT!). It’s a cake that’s meant to be served WITH coffee. This version takes all those warm, cozy flavors from carrot cake (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) and wraps them in a simple, one-bowl coffee cake format. The whole thing comes together in under 2 hours, and most of that is hands-off baking time.
Ingredients and substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
Flour: Either all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend works here. Be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup (rather than scooping) so you don’t end up with too much, which makes the cake dense.
Spices: An earthy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger adds the perfect level of warmth without overpowering the cake.
Butter: Salted butter is preferred, though unsalted works too. Set it out 30 minutes before you start so it’s softened. You’ll also need cold butter for the crumb topping.
Sugar: White sugar for the cake and brown sugar for the crumb topping. You can use coconut sugar if you prefer. Powdered sugar is needed for the glaze.
Eggs: Three large eggs, set out at room temperature for the best results.
Carrots: You can buy pre-shredded carrots or peel and grate your own. The thicker the pieces, the more prominent they’ll be in the cake.
Coconut: Sweetened, shredded coconut adds a subtle sweetness, but unsweetened works if you prefer less sugar.
Cream cheese: Any type works, but full-fat cream cheese makes the smoothest glaze.
Mix the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Whisk everything together until well combined.
Always be careful when measuring dry ingredients. It’s best to spoon the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping directly from the bag. If not, you might end up with a dense cake.
Beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
In another large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. If the butter isn’t at room temperature, it won’t combine well with the sugar.
Crack the eggs into the butter mixture and add the vanilla extract. Beat for another 1 to 2 minutes until everything is well combined.
Room temp matters! If your butter isn’t softened, you’ll end up with a lumpy batter. Set it out 30 minutes before you start.
Combine wet and dry, add carrots and coconut.
Incrementally add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed after each addition. Don’t dump it all in at once or you’ll have flour everywhere.
Once mixed, pour in the milk and beat on low until incorporated.
Using a food processor with a grating attachment or a handheld grater, shred peeled carrots until you get 2 ½ cups. Add the carrots and shredded coconut to the batter and mix by hand with a spatula. Don’t overmix at this point.
Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour in the batter. Spread until smooth.
Don’t overwork it! Once the carrots and coconut go in, switch to a spatula and fold gently. Over-mixing leads to a tough cake.
Make the crumb topping and bake.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cube the cold butter and cut it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You should still have some pea-sized crumbs left.
Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the raw batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
Make the cream cheese glaze and serve.
In a clean, medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Add milk in small increments until you reach a drizzling consistency. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top, or it will melt right into the cake.
Storage and reheating
Prep ahead: This entire cake can be made the night before. Or, shred the carrots and make the crumb topping a day ahead.
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Sealed in an airtight container, this cake stays fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: Let the cake cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm in 15-second intervals in the microwave, or place back in a 250°F oven. The glaze may melt into the cake when reheated.
FAQs
Does carrot coffee cake have coffee in it?
Nope! A coffee cake is traditionally served WITH coffee, not made with it. This recipe combines the warm spices and shredded carrots of a carrot cake with the buttery crumb topping of a classic coffee cake.
Can I make this dairy-free or gluten-free?
Absolutely. For dairy-free, swap in plant-based versions of the butter, milk, and cream cheese. For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in both the cake and the crumb topping.
Can I use pre-shredded carrots?
Yes! Pre-shredded carrots from the store save a lot of time. Just know that the pieces may be thicker, so they’ll be more noticeable in the finished cake. If you prefer a more uniform texture, grate your own.
Tap stars to rate!
Carrot Coffee Cake Recipe
email this recipe!
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Pastry Cutter or Fork
- Food Processor or Handheld Grater
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Carrot Coffee Cake:
- 2 ½ cups flour all purpose or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ sticks butter softened
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs large
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk regular or plant-based
- 2 ½ cups carrots peeled, finely grated
- ½ cup coconut sweetened shredded
Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup packed brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup flour all purpose or gluten-free 1-to-1
- 4 Tbsp. butter room temperature
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 Tbsp. butter melted
- ½ tsp. vanilla clear
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk optional
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To Make the Coffee Cake:
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on medium speed, or until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue beating for another 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
- Incrementally add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed after each addition until everything is well combined.
- Once mixed, pour in the milk and mix on low until incorporated.
- Using either a food processor with a grating attachment or a handheld grater, shred peeled carrots until you get 2 ½ cups of grated carrots. Add this to the batter along with the shredded coconut and mix by hand with a spatula until well combined.
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and then pour in the coffee cake batter. Spread this out until smooth.
To Make the Crumb Topping:
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cube the butter and then cut it into the flour mixture using either a pastry cutter or a large fork. You should still have some pea-sized crumbs left. Sprinkle this on top of the batter in the baking dish.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted in comes out clean.
To Make the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the ingredients together using a handheld or stand mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Thin out the glaze with milk until a drizzling consistency is reached. Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. Enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More sweet breakfast recipes
Breakfast doesn’t always have to be savory. If you love this carrot coffee cake, try my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, and Double Chocolate Banana Muffins for more easy baking. For weekend mornings, try Blueberry Pancakes, Dutch Baby Pancake, or Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies.
More Breakfast Recipes
Looking for more sweet breakfast ideas? These reader favorites are perfect for weekends, brunches, and holiday mornings.
Hi London. I am a huge fan of all your recipes and one reason is because you usually find a way to substitute maple syrup or honey for the sugar in baked goods and other recipes. So I was disappointed when I scanned through the ingredients and found only white sugar 😱. Since I love coffee cake and carrot cake this sounded like a dream come true. If not those healthy subs can I use monk fruit etc.
Hi Kathy! My sincere apologies for that, I do have a sweet tooth sometimes 🙂 Since this recipe is made with granulated sugar you’ll need to find something to replace that texture. I haven’t personally tried this but coconut sugar might be a great alternative to this! For the cream cheese glaze, the powdered sugar will be pretty hard to replace, but you could try your typical liquid sweeteners such as honey or pure maple syrup. Let me know if you try this out and how it goes!
Hey, am I missing something? I don’t see any type of coffee in the list of ingredients and it doesn’t say where or when to include it, it seems the recipe is for a carrot cake and it looks amazing but not coffee on it at all
Hi Lesley, a coffee cake is traditionally served WITH coffee, it doesn’t usually contain actual coffee. This recipe combines the flavors of carrot cake and the style of a coffee cake.